When retired nurse Geneva Gibbs stepped off a SunRunner bus, she was expecting a quick stroll to a senior center to dance and play bingo. Instead, she was surprised with a balloon-filled celebration, a place in local history, and a special card valid for one year of free rides from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA).
Gibbs became the one-millionth rider to take the SunRunner, PSTA’s Bus Rapid Transit service. The landmark number was reached in less than a year from the service’s start on October 21, 2022. PSTA CEO Brad Miller and Board Chairperson Gina Driscoll presented Gibbs with a card that lets her ride any PSTA route, for free, for the next year.
“I ride the [SunRunner] bus every day—every day—and I love it, I really, really do. And all of the drivers are one hundred percent,” said Gibbs, 84, who retired after a career as a nurse caring for veterans at Bay Pines VA Medical Center.
“The SunRunner is catching on faster than any transit option that’s ever been offered in Tampa Bay,” said Brad Miller, Chief Executive Officer of PSTA. “We’re seeing ridership increase each month, breaking the record from the month before. That’s unprecedented. It shows you that when we work together to invest in a service that delivers on being fast, easy, and reliable—people will take advantage of it, and our whole community will benefit.
“It’s gratifying to see these riders trying and loving the SunRunner. The key here, though, is all the other successes that this ridership number represents,” said Gina Driscoll, St. Petersburg City Council Member and PSTA Board Chairperson. “The SunRunner is connecting people to jobs, education, and healthcare. It’s lowering their cost of living. It’s supporting businesses all along the corridor. And it’s making our community more sustainable. Those are huge impacts on our community, and that’s what one million riders represents.”
The SunRunner is Tampa Bay’s first Bus Rapid Transit service, with an all-electric fleet of buses using dedicated lanes to create fast, reliable service “From the Beach to the ‘Burg.” PSTA is adding an additional stop in the coming months near the St. Pete Pier, prompted by the success of the service.
PSTA planners do predict some reduction in riders when fares begin on October 1, but residents and visitors have discovered the speed, ease, and value of taking the SunRunner, so a robust ridership is expected to continue. A one-way ticket will cost $2.25, while an all-day pass will be available for $5.
Geneva was boarding the SunRunner at 1st Ave. N and 5th St. in St. Petersburg, when she unwittingly became the person who brought the service to the million-rider milestone. Gibbs says she’ll use her Flamingo Fares card for trips across Pinellas County to run errands and grocery shop and you’ll definitely see her hopping on the SunRunner again soon.
“I love the SunRunner, I use it every single day. The drivers are so kind to me. I am thankful that it gets me where I need to go easily,” Gibbs said.